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en-usEngadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronicsCopyright 2018 AOL Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/24/virgin-mobile-bring-your-own-iphone/https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/24/virgin-mobile-bring-your-own-iphone/https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/24/virgin-mobile-bring-your-own-iphone/#comments

Looks like Virgin Mobile is on a mission to sign up as many iPhone users as it can. The carrier has just announced that you can now bring your own iPhone and enjoy its $1-a-year subscription offer. When the company began exclusively catering to iPhone users in June, it only offered that deal to a limited number of people buying their devices from the carrier itself. According to Virgin CEO Dow Draper, though, the carrier has expanded the offer's scope, because it understands that "many love their current phones or don't want to upgrade yet."

It's no secret that American carriers sell a lot of iPhones. Virgin Mobile, however, is taking that to a logical extreme. The Sprint sub-brand has announced that it's the US' first iPhone-only carrier as of June 27th -- if you don't like iOS, you'll have to head elsewhere. In return for the exclusivity, you'll get a fairly good rate as well as some potentially juicy promos.

Unless you roll it over, the unused mobile data you paid so dearly for is lost in time, like tears in ... rain. For a limited time, however, Virgin Mobile customers in Australia can transform those dead digits into phones, drones and other swag. To be sure, the "data auction" is a publicity stunt that mostly benefits Virgin, since there's but a single prize each day over the month-long promo. In addition, you have to bid all your remaining data, so you can only win once.

Virgin Mobile has built its user base by offering no-contract smartphone plans for people who don't want to buy a subsidized device. Now they're slashing prices with the assumption that some people don't need data unless they're on a Wi-Fi network. Say hello to the $20 a month mobile plan that includes 300 minutes of talk time, unlimited texting, and no data unless you're on Wi-Fi. The plan changes don't stop there.

The $35 tier now gets to choose between unlimited talk and text, coupled with 250MB of high-speed 3G/4G data or 300 minutes of talk time, unlimited texting, and 2.5GB of data. Virgin's $45 and $55 plans seem best suited for users who often travel between countries. Each plan offers unlimited text and talk, with unlimited international texting and 100 international minutes thrown in on top. At $45 users get 1GB of mobile data, while $55 nets them 3GB of data each month.

What do you think? Does the spread of Wi-Fi in public life negate the need for a data plan for some users? It is, after all, still possible to use GPS and mapping services without a data plan, but it requires you to download the maps you'll be using in advance and noticeably slows down service. We look forward to seeing how many users pick up the new budget plan from Virgin. Perhaps we'll all be surprised.
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iphonevirginvirginmobileMon, 06 Oct 2014 15:30:00 -040016|20973388https://www.engadget.com/2014/09/09/samsung-galaxy-alpha-in-canada/https://www.engadget.com/2014/09/09/samsung-galaxy-alpha-in-canada/https://www.engadget.com/2014/09/09/samsung-galaxy-alpha-in-canada/#comments

Samsung is being a bit cruel to Americans jonesing for the Galaxy Alpha. The company has announced that its upscale Android smartphone will launch just north of the border (that is, Canada) on September 26th through Bell and Virgin Mobile. There's no mention of Virgin's pricing, but Bell is already taking orders at either $150 CAD on a two-year contract or a pricey $700 if you go contract-free. This isn't an exclusive, though, so you should expect the Alpha to make its way to other Canuck providers in the "coming months." As for the US? Sorry, there's still no official word on that yet -- barring success with an importer, you'll just have to sit tight.

If you've been intrigued by HTC's big-yet-affordable Desire 816, you no longer have to go through an importer to get one in the US. The 5.5-inch Android smartphone will be available through Virgin Mobile on August 12th for $299 contract-free. Nothing has changed apart from the support for Virgin's network, but that's not necessarily a bad thing -- while we're not fans of the cameras, the 816 is a good deal if you want a large display at a low price (and haven't scored a OnePlus One invitation). Don't despair if you want something smaller or cheaper, either. AT&T recently launched the 4.7-inch Desire 610 for $200 on prepaid GoPhone service (free on a regular contract), so you have at least one other option for a modern HTC phone if the One and One Remix are too rich for your blood.

In the US, prepaid cellphone service tends to be a like-it-or-leave-it proposition that rarely fits perfectly, especially for families. Virgin Mobile may have a smarter approach in store; it's launching Custom, a prepaid family plan that lets you tailor usage to your liking. You can put as many as five people on plans that start at $7 each ($35 for unlimited talk and text) and scale up depending on individual needs. If Mom is a big fan of streaming music but rarely makes calls, she can pile on the data (or use a $5 Unlimited Music plan) and reduce her voice minutes; a chat-happy kid, meanwhile, can have gobs of messages but only minimal internet access. You can change the plans at any time from mobile apps, and built-in parental controls let you declare certain apps as off-limits during specified hours.

If you're with Sprint, you don't have many options for unlocking your phone's SIM card slot; if you can do it at all, you're limited to service on foreign networks. You'll have far more flexibility in the near future, though. The carrier has revealed that it will unlock devices for American use starting with those launched on or after February 11th, 2015. The move will let you use SIM-based features (such as LTE data) on AT&T, T-Mobile and other US providers as long as your device supports the right frequencies. Sprint's prepaid brands, including Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile, will also offer the added freedom.

Long gone are the days of prepaid carriers being stuck with low-end smartphones. Need proof? That's easy: Sprint has announced that both Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile will carry Samsung's Galaxy S5 in the second quarter of the year, or sometime around the worldwide launch in April. Neither wireless brand is giving out prices at this stage, although it's safe to presume that the brand new, Spark-compatible flagship will carry a premium. Even so, its presence should be welcome to Boost and Virgin customers who've had to go without high-end Galaxies.

Most carriers shy away from offering LTE on its prepaid plans, but Sprint is diving right in by making it available on its first Virgin Mobile device. The network will take advantage of Sprint's Spark service, which will offer tri-band LTE support at faster speeds on the company's Broadband2Go plans. The first device to leverage it is the Netgear Mingle, which is essentially a red version of Sprint's Zing (pictured above). You can get the fast service at a cost of $5 per day, or you can choose monthly plans of 1.5GB for $25 or 6GB fof $55. Additionally, Sprint announced that it will launch Spark in six more cities: Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Houston and Fort Lauderdale.

The 16 GB iPhone 5s normally costs $650 unlocked from Apple, but customers can snap it up for only $550 at Virgin Mobile. Likewise, the 16 GB iPhone 5c normally costs $550 unlocked from Apple, but it's currently $450 at Virgin Mobile. The new iPhones went on sale for the first time at Virgin Mobile yesterday. There's no word from the company if the prices on these 16 GB iPhones are an introductory price or the standard price -- but either way, they're a great deal.

You knew this day would come, Virgin Mobile fans, and now the highly sought after iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c are available for purchase at Virgin Mobile. Better yet, you're in for a rather nice discount, as Sprint's prepaid subsidiary is selling each of the phones outright for $100 less than you'd pay elsewhere. This puts the 16GB iPhone 5s at $550 and the 16GB iPhone 5c at $450. Each of these phones should be available for purchase either online or in a retail setting, but if you want to score an iPhone with larger storage (either 32GB or 64GB), you'll need to direct your browser to Virgin's website. With its surprisingly low pricing, perhaps Virgin Mobile is retraining its brain as well.

While the expansion of the iPhone 5s and 5c to other carriers is good news for Apple, it is sure to put even further strain on the already tight supply of the popular handsets.
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iphonevirgin mobilevirginmobileFri, 27 Sep 2013 14:00:00 -040016|20731878https://www.engadget.com/2013/09/27/virgin-mobile-iphone-5s-iphone-5c/https://www.engadget.com/2013/09/27/virgin-mobile-iphone-5s-iphone-5c/https://www.engadget.com/2013/09/27/virgin-mobile-iphone-5s-iphone-5c/#comments

Just a few short months after Virgin Mobile's Sprint-fueled US arm listed the iPhone 5 for sale, the MVNO is teasing the smartphone's successors as "coming soon." According to the firm's homepage, both the iPhone 5s and 5c will debut for prepaid customers, though pricing and availability remain unknown. Judging by the previous-gen's starting price of $550, however, you might want to start saving up now. The iPhone 4S, meanwhile, remains on the ticket. That handset is currently listed for 15 percent off its $450 sticker price, available today for $382.49.

While we've already spent precious quality time with the HTC Desire 601, we still weren't sure where exactly this mid-range smartphone would be available. Well, if this FCC listing is any indication, it could be arriving stateside some time soon, and with Sprint's LTE bands in tow. The documents show a HTC handset with the 601's "Zara" codename in the build number (as seen above) as well as support for LTE band 25, which seemingly points it in the Now Network's direction. This also lends credence to an @evleaks tweet posted two weeks ago that claimed the Desire 601 was headed to Virgin Mobile, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sprint. Other tidbits revealed from the FCC filing include Android 4.2.2 as the firmware and features such as WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC, most of which we already knew. Alas, we don't yet know the pricing and availability of the device, but we're guessing it'll show up any day now. In the meantime, treat yourselves to our in-depth hands-on to see if it's worth the wait.

If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, Virgin Mobile brought two new smartphones to the table and Play Music All Access subscribers received one more way to discover new tunes. These stories and more await. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of September 9th, 2013.

If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought a free TV streaming service for Bell subscribers, the arrival of NFL Mobile to BlackBerry 10 and little bit of Windows Phone love from General Motors. These stories and more await. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of August 19th, 2013.

If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, Samsung added two new colors to its GS4 LTE-A lineup, Motorola teased its manufacturing facility for the upcoming Moto X and @evleaks spilled the beans on a new smartphone for Verizon. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of July 15th, 2013.

The LG Optimus F3 doesn't make much sense on Sprint, where a preference for contract pricing leaves the F3 competing with more advanced devices. It's a good thing that the 4-inch Android phone has launched on Sprint's contract-free Virgin Mobile brand, then. The smaller carrier's version offers everything we've seen before, including LTE, but costs just $180 up front -- a big discount over both the $250 Sprint variant and most 4G phones at Virgin. Combined with cheaper plans, Virgin's Optimus F3 should be a much better deal for those who want LTE on the cheap.

If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, the Galaxy S 4 was spotted in purple garb, a new Windows Phone was outed for AT&T and US Cellular officially welcomed a budget handset from ZTE into its ranks. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of June 24th, 2013.

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world.

You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here.

Virgin Mobile announced today that it will begin offering the iPhone 5 to subscribers starting on June 28. Subscribers will be able to buy the device at the Virgin Mobile website, at Radio Shack and at Virgin Mobile stores.

The iPhone 5 will be available on Virgin Mobile's Beyond Talk plan which offers users unlimited data and messaging for just US$35 a month. Even better, customers who sign up for Auto Pay will receive a $5 discount every month.

According to Virgin Mobile's press release (below), only the 16 GB iPhone 5 will be available online at Virgin Mobile dealers. That being the case, if you're looking for an iPhone with more storage, you'll have to hop online to order the device.

The 16 GB iPhone will go for $549.99 while the 32 GB and 64 GB models will retail for $649.99 and $749.99 respectively.

Lastly, interested consumers should be aware that the Beyond Talk plan offers unthrottled 3G and 4G data with a 2.5 GB/month cap. Once a user uses up his 2.5 GB allotment, data speeds go down to a paltry 256Kbps for the remainder of the monthly billing cycle.

Show full PR text

Virgin Mobile USA will launch the iPhone 5 on Friday, 6/28/12 on its Beyond Talk plans, with unlimited 3G/4G LTE data and messaging* starting at $35 per month but customers can also receive a $5 per-month plan discount when they register and sign up for automatic monthly payments ["Auto Pay"] with a credit card, debit card or PayPal account, making the iPhone 5 available on Virgin Mobile for as low as $30 per month**.
The 16GB iPhone 5, available in Black and White, will be available at www.virginmobileusa.com, at participating Virgin Mobile dealers, and at RadioShack, our exclusive national retail distributor, for $549.99 [excluding taxes]. The 32GB and 64GB, also in Black and White, will be available online only for $649.99 and $749.99, respectively.
*All plans include 2.5GB/month of 3G/4G full speed data.
**Requires registration for automatic monthly payments and Virgin Mobile Service is subject to Terms of Service found at virginmobileUSA.com.

Contract-averse consumers itching for an iPhone 5 fix and wary of T-Mobile's brave new ways can now look to Virgin Mobile. The prepaid carrier has just announced plans to bring Apple's aluminum-bodied smartphone to its lineup starting next Friday, June 28th. The iOS device will be paired with Virgin's Beyond Talk plans, netting subs unlimited data (3G / 4G LTE) and messaging for $35 per month on the base tier. Only the 16GB model will be sold online and in-store for $550, so if you're in the market for larger storage, you'll have to head to the carrier's site where the 32GB and 64GB units -- priced at $650 and $750, respectively -- will be available. If you're tempted to go all in and plunk down the cash, just keep in mind, there's another better, potentially bigger and definitely 'S'-ier iPhone waiting just around the corner.

Believe it or not, it's possible to to be a star within the six seconds of a Vine video -- just ask the likes of Riff Raff or Will Sasso, whose Vines are nearly as popular as their usual work. Social media guru Gary Vaynerchuk is starting up a talent agency, Grape Story, to make sure those celebs are getting paid in more than just likes. While Vaynerchuk isn't naming initial clients beyond co-founder Jerome Jarre, he expects the agency to be profitable enough that a wildly popular Vine user could make a living from posting 20 clips a year. There's also no word on when the agency will be open for business, although it already has a partnership lined up with Virgin Mobile. Just don't expect a rush toward Instagram videos -- for now, Grape Story is focused on the more established platform.

Jelly Bean has been making its way to ever cheaper phones in recent months, and that's very conspicuous with the launch of Virgin Mobile's new Samsung Galaxy Ring. For $180, you're getting Android 4.1 in a price range where 4.0 is still common. You're also getting a surprisingly capable device under the hood -- while there's no LTE, the prepaid handset carries a reasonably quick 1.4GHz processor, a 4-inch screen, a 5MP rear camera and a 1.3MP front-facing sensor. We'd still consider shelling out a little more cash for a future-ready 4G device, but Virgin users determined to scrimp and save can pick up the Galaxy Ring today.